Lester Brown, founder of the Worldwatch Institute and Earth Policy Institute, noted in his 2009 book, "Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization" that until recently solar water was a niche market for heating pools in America, even as it has grown by leaps and bounds abroad.

Lester Brown, founder of the Worldwatch Institute and Earth Policy Institute, noted in his 2009 book, "Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization" that until recently solar water was a niche market for heating pools in America, even as it has grown by leaps and bounds abroad.

"China ... is now home to 27 million rooftop solar water heaters. With nearly 4,000 Chinese companies manufacturing these devices, this relatively simple low-cost technology has leapfrogged into villages that do not yet have electricity. For as little as $200, villagers can have a rooftop solar collector installed and take their first hot shower."

And in Europe, where energy costs are relatively high, rooftop solar water heaters are spreading fast...

"China ... is now home to 27 million rooftop solar water heaters. With nearly 4,000 Chinese companies manufacturing these devices, this relatively simple low-cost technology has leapfrogged into villages that do not yet have electricity. For as little as $200, villagers can have a rooftop solar collector installed and take their first hot shower."

And in Europe, where energy costs are relatively high, rooftop solar water heaters are spreading fast...

Stakeholders were frustrated that PJM refused to their repeated requests to conduct 2010 RTEP analyses with up-to-date load data instead of data that was in some cases two years old, that PJM evaluated a PATH competitor’s constructions costs using different assumptions than PATH so that the costs were not comparable to PATH (and then used cost as a factor in rejecting the competitor), and that the additional capacity from the Mt. Storm - Doubs line was excluded from the RTEP analyses.

It was evident to participants in the RTEP process, specifically including the CAD and other state consumer advocates who had repeatedly requested such analyses, that PJM’s process was flawed: PJM’s 2010 RTEP (published in early 201 1) was based upon a 2009 load forecast and it excluded capacity auction results from May 2010. The additional capacity from the Mt. Storm to Doubs line was never included in PJM’s 2010 RTEP. When PJM ignored Advocate’s requests for updated analyses, the advocates then addressed their concerns to the PJM Board of Managers, requesting the Board to require PJM to perform additional analyses with updated information. These requests also were ignored; however the requests of the VaSCC were not ignored. The VaSCC required PATH to submit such analyses using up-to-date load forecasts from late 2010 including “the most recent economic forecasts, demand response commitments, and new generation resources in the queue,”13 The VaSCC required-analyses contributed to PJM’s determination that the need for PATH was moved “several years into the future. The significant take-away for this Commission from the above-described PJM RTEP experience is that additional analyses were performed by PJM only when the VaSCC required such analyses to be submitted.

...This Commission, if it deems appropriate, may also want to inform PJM of potential West Virginia transmission reconductor/rebuild projects and request that they be included in the RTEP if it determines this is warranted based upon a review of the reports requested by Staff.”

CAD agrees with Staff that this Commission should require the Reports requested by Staff in its Petition to Reopen and satisfy itself regarding not only what transmission line upgrades are important for West Virginia, but what upgrades requiring transmission lines to be out of service could be undertaken because of the advantageous timing from increased capacity and reduced load. To the extent that West Virginia can be proactive concerning necessary transmission upgrades, costly new lines may be avoided.

Finally, APCo and Wheeling [AEP's WV subsidiaries] hint that approval of its request for a Transco will “have an impact on the preparation of the report. If the creation of a Transco will impede the orderly process of conducting evaluations of West Virginia transmission facilities then CAD questions whether any Transco can be deemed not to adversely affect the public interest.